On Wednesday we were able to drive back home to Ukarumpa. The back of the van held an interesting assortment of items: a coffin (the family decided that they wanted to buy a nicer coffin than the one that we provided, so we had to return the one we brought), about 10 boxes of cereal that we found at a great price on the discount rack (only two weeks past date!!), and several boxes of candy. The candy wasn’t for us though. Some folks from our store in Ukarumpa were down in Lae buying special items to sell for Christmas, and they sent all the candy up with us because we had air conditioning in the van that we were driving.

The crate that we shipped from Oregon has been released from customs and went up to Ukarumpa the same day we did. We hope to have it delivered to our house today and will have a fun time on Saturday unpacking it.

It’s rainy season. These are the muddy stroller tires after going to market this morning. I nearly lost my shoe at one point on the road!

This is Fluffy. He and Greg are inseparable (except for this morning, because Fluffy got a “bath” and is out hanging on the line right now while Greg is at school). Fluffy usually prays for us at meal time (in a rather annoying, high-pitched voice).

Friday, October 18, 2013

This week took an unexpected turn for us. Here are a few photos to tell the story:

It all started out normal. On Friday Brian took a PMV to Goroka to buy a new truck (not for us – it’s a corporate vehicle).

Caleb continued to try to open up the latch on the gate that keeps him from escaping the front porch.

Greg has been using this cardboard tube as a “ding ding gate” (like at a railroad crossing). I often have to ask permission to move from the living room to the kitchen. (And trust me – you do NOT want to try to go around the gate!)

But then early Saturday morning we got a phone call that changed our plans for the week. A Papua New Guinean employee at one of our regional centers had passed away after giving birth. Brian was asked to go down and help the staff with funeral arrangements and practical needs while the small staff there processes this tragedy. Since he might be gone for up to two weeks, we decided the whole family should go. By lunch time we were on the road for the three-hour drive to the city of Lae.

It has been interesting trying to keep the boys entertained within the close confines of the guesthouse property. The swimming pool was closed for the first few days we were there, because with recent happenings, the staff wasn’t able to take care of an algae problem while it was still manageable. But one day they decided to completely drain the pool and refill it. The boys enjoyed playing in the water as it drained out:

Caleb is now using walking as his primary mode of locomotion. Crawling is reserved for emergencies or crossing uneven ground, and then it’s back on his feet.

The unusual treat of television and all-day-long children’s programming has the boys captivated. (And matching shirts. Greg is always wanting to match Caleb this week.)

We dropped off two colleagues at the wharf so that they could catch a dinghy to a spot farther down the coast. I was glad that I wasn’t going to travel over open ocean in an open boat in the heat of the day!

Friday, October 11, 2013

I’ve decided to try something new on the blog this week. A friend from college that I blog-stalk does a weekly photo journal on her blog, and I love seeing the little everyday moments of her family’s life. That was the intended purpose of this blog anyway. In our newsletters we focus a bit more on our ministry, but this blog is supposed to give you a better idea of our normal everyday life here in Papua New Guinea. So each Friday I will attempt to post a few photos that show what has been happening that week. I’ve also decided that I’m going to get a bit more serious about actually learning to use the manual settings on my camera, so this should give me good practice!

With no further ado, here is your first Photo Friday! (It’s Friday morning in Papua New Guinea by the way, even though it’s still Thursday afternoon for our North American readers… I guess that gives me a little wiggle room if some week I forget to post on Friday, right?)

We had grandma here with us! How strange to Skype with her on this end of the computer...

We visited a village church with the visiting work team and listened to a sermon by Pastor Willie.

The view from outside the church.

Greg + trampoline = joy

A bloom from our back yard

I planted some new pineapples in our garden

Our favorite dog, Ruby

Enjoying a special treat - marshmallow cereal that came in a care package!

Stick + dirt = "I'm never coming back inside, mom!"

At the airstrip with grandma. Two and a half weeks went by so quickly!